Family Intervention Strategies at a National and Local Level Essay

Introduction

Social and economic welfare is closely connected with the welfare of families. The changes that occurred to the family structures, therefore, significantly affect behavioral patterns that most people tend to apply to. In the United Kingdom, there is a growing tendency to cohabitate because fewer people wish to be engaged in marriage obligations. As a result, more and more children are likely to live in unmarried or incomplete families with single parents.

Children, therefore, often face theories psychological, emotional, and social problems while acting in various social and cultural contexts. Because adults are reluctant to take responsibility for their lives and children, there are growing patterns of remaining single or being engaged in a civil marriage. All these shifts have a potent impact on the social policies, as well as outlooks on living arrangement standards, sexual morality, and family relations.

While tracing historical and cultural contexts of family structure changing patterns, as well as analyzing family types transitions, it is possible to define which competing needs individuals have within the newly presented families, as well as highlight the most successful intervention strategies that could assist in eliminating anti-social behavioral patterns and neglected attitude to complete family morale.

Historical and Social Contexts of Family Structures in Relation to Social Policy

The current trends in family changes are not promising. The social and historical background of changing patterns sufficiently explains the reasons for the contemporary family crisis in the United Kingdom. Specific emphasis should be placed on greater patterns of single mothers working and taking care of their child, no-children parents with two incomes, and two unmarried couples having a child. These are the most widespread family structures that have appeared because of social changes.

According to Irwin (2000), “…changes in general patterns of ‘standard’ living arrangements are themselves part of the substance of changing familial and friendship based relations” (p. 1). Despite the changing patterns of family structures over time, the popularity of the nuclear family remains. With regard to family and children’s perception, it is possible to define external social factors that affect families, as well as define specific demographic information in relation to family changes.

The concept of ‘family’ is an ambiguous one because the term is used in various senses and meanings and it is often understood differently by people. Therefore, marriage and family are also viewed as the most fundamental social institutions in almost all societies. Nevertheless, the debates are centered on the concept of a two-parent type as the ideal one, as well as on other patterns that are stereotypically classified as incomplete and inappropriate because of certain cultural and historical contexts within which these prejudices are placed.

In this respect, Squire (2009) argues that in modern Britain “…politicians have a traditional view of the family and fail to acknowledge the increasing disparity between family realities and family ideology” (pp. 59-60). Despite the existing concepts and perceptions, the sociological perspective dictates that families are considered the basic units of society aimed at protecting young children. They also provide financial and emotional support for individuals because of a number of core functions that families perform.

In other words, the family encourages people to perform one more important roles in society that contribute to their public performances. These roles, therefore, have a significant meaning to society. From a historical perspective, various societies and movements have different angles and views on family construction. For instance, the supporters of the functionalist perspective believe that social roles influence cultural shaping of society.

The family is defined as a tool for fulfilling the needs of society, as well as for integrating harmony between various social institutions. In particular, specific distinction is presented between female and male roles in terms of domestic labour (Squire 2009). The biological differences have become the main platform for sexual division in the most efficient society. As a result, man had long been considered as the main economic and family provider whereas women’s role is confined to household responsibilities and childcare.

With the advent of feminist trends, the view on family structure has significantly changed. Their rejection of patriarchy was justified by the assumption that division of labour by biological differences was not reasonable. Therefore, the misconception with gender roles prevented women from fulfilling themselves in other social roles (Squire 2009). Moreover, the traditional distribution of family and gender roles made it difficult for women to achieve their occupational goals.

Regarding the above-presented shifts and movements influencing the concept of family and marriage, the role of cultural and historical heritage are pivotal in shaping this concept. Specifically, Irwin (2009) states, “…ethnic groups arise partly from different historical and cultural heritages as these interact with structural factors particular to the UK” (p. 8). Additionally, material and financial requirements, as well as household arrangements, were the key elements in distinguishing between male and female visions on family over various historical periods.

Analysis of Family Types and Transitions That Families Undergo at Any Given Time

The changes in family types have constantly been changing in the course of time. The patterns and outlooks on marriage, cohabitation, and family were at the core of the shifting processes. However, such aspects as income level, household arrangement are considered invariable points of family transitions.

Specifically, the research conducted by Irwin indicated the explicit alterations in family compositions. Within the period from1960s to 1990s, it is possible to trace the changes and identify future trends in family structures. Specifically, the researcher has noted that there is a significant growth in ‘non-partnering’, as well as independent living among individuals under the pension age. Such trends may be explained by later ages of cohabitation and marriage.

Despite the presence of all types of families in the UK, including nuclear, extended, mono-gender, symmetrical, reconstructed, cohabitation, and lone-parent families, the latter is the dominant type (Squire 2009; O’Grady 2009). As a result, children looked after by single mothers are more likely to suffer from poverty, low self-esteem, and other psychological problems.

The family transitions in the United Kingdom have also touched on the levels of fertility. In this respect, Garrett (2001) investigates the nature of changes in family fertility in nineteenths and twenties centuries, as well as the factors that have a direct influence on it. Specifically, the despite the conventional wisdom, “fertility decline did not progress…from high to medium to low desired family size in a uniform fashion” (Garrett 2001, p. 322).

However, there is still growing tendencies among young adults in postponing having children. Restricting themselves to smaller patterns of family size is predetermined by the growing ideals and conceptions, as well as shaped attitudes to family constructions. Based on experience and examples of high family sizes, young people are still concerned with financial and materials issues. In addition, there is also a significant connection between women’s paid employment and fertility (Garrett 2001).

The attitude of young adults to family also changes and, as a result, women seeking to fulfil themselves in professional sphere are less likely to have children in their 20s.

It should be stressed that the patterns of family types and transition differ significantly in the course of time in the United Kingdom. However, the higher ratios of adults are less likely to adhere to the traditional patterns of family structure, such as nuclear families and extended families. In addition, views on marriage change as well because of specific social and cultural circumstances.

Evaluating Competing Needs of Individuals within the Family System

With regard to the established family patterns and deviations from the traditional outlook on marriage, parenting, and child upbringing, there is a growing necessity to consider the competing needs of the individuals within these family contexts. Children development largely depends on the relations between members of their family.

They often follow the habits and behaviour practiced in the family (Crawford and Walker 2010). Therefore, children from incomplete or lone-parents families often have problems with creating their own families. Human development, therefore, the main variable that is affected by family transitions. It has long been recognized that the family is considered an individual’s most significant social unit that provides social and cultural contexts within which health problems occur and are resolved and which health intervention problems are introduced. In most cases, traditional practices and beliefs enhance family cohesion.

Some values and norms are much more significant than others in regard of the individuals’ competing needs. These demands often identify the family’s prioritized values (Andrews and Boyle 2008, p. 266). The point is that the families that adhere to traditional cultural values often neglect those expressed by individuals. Therefore, people are often limited to the demands by the family as a building block, but not as a set of members with unique needs.

Family dictates unique patterns of behaviour and attitude to social norms and, therefore, they largely influence individuals’ perception of outside community. Being dependent on family norms, people often face challenges while striving to achieve their personal goals. At the same time, some norms established in the family are largely affected by individuals. Within this context, attitudes, roles, and expectations can be outlived in case of discontinuity of individuals from families.

Moreover, Cowan (2003) argues, “…positive development steps taken by one family member often impact other family members to the extent that previous interactive patterns involving that individual are no longer possible” (p. 301). From the very childhood, individuals shape their own perceptions of morality, ideology, and ethics with regard to the commonly created and formulated norms and attitudes.

Because of certain external factors, most children have difficulties in their attempts to adjust to the social environment. Poverty, unemployment, and other social problem often affect families and, as a result, it generates problems at psychological and emotional levels. Most children suffering from financial problems are under moral and psychological pressure as well. In this respect, these children’s competing needs are not confined to those pursued by complete traditional families. The government should also consider this layer of children.

Evaluating Different Types of Interventions Available to Families in Need of Support in Their Caring Role

Families and children in England face significant challenges in terms of financial sustainability and social welfare, despite the existing legislature and regulations, such as the Children Act 1989 (Department of Health 2000, p.17). Form these perspectives, there are inevitable sophisticated issues and relations that affect children within family context and communities in which they live. Under the current circumstances, the government should integrate effective interventions frameworks and programs aimed at improving the quality of services that are responsible for sustaining families through modernization of the public sector.

The frameworks should also seek to promote cooperation between statutory institutions through creating fruitful partnerships with private and voluntary agencies (Department of Health 2000). Promoting and sustaining the wellbeing of children will certainly ensure desirable outcomes necessary for integration at local and national levels, including collaborative approach of the government to service delivery and policy making.

Importantly, early and immediate interventions are indispensible to assist children and families facing problems, either inside the family, or by outside factors influencing parents’ capacity to handle the problem of financial crisis and abuse (Department of Health 2000). Good joint and cooperative practices at a local level are essentials to achieve the success at early intervention strategies.

The necessity of introducing family intervention projects becomes central for eliminating anti-social behaviour strategy. The government, therefore, decides to provide children from ‘chaotic’ families with support to exterminate immoral attitudes and unethical behaviour. All the interventions should be sufficiently supported by agencies and councils that will encourage families to reprogram their attitudes to inter-relations within their home settings and outside them (Gregg 2010).

However, because some of the family intervention programs fail to approach family problems in an efficient, it is necessary to introduce advanced measures. In particular, a multi-dimensional strategy should consider several aspects (Gregg 2010). To begin with, the government should conduct an in-depth analysis of individuals’ perception on family, particularly among the youth populations.

Second, it is imperative to evaluate children’s awareness of the importance of family values and norms, as well as traditional outlooks on family relations (Gregg 2010). Finally, such family related concepts as marriage, partnership, parents’ obligations, and children upbringing should be taken in the deepest consideration to re-assess various beliefs and norms held by the population with regard to the age, social status, and material income.

With regard to the prevalence of untraditional views on family that are confined to cohabitation and civil marriage, the ratio of lone-parent families have been increased (Gregg 2010). In this respect, the governmental reforms should focus on supporting single fathers and mothers to eliminate poverty and encourage children from incomplete families to shape the correct vision on family relations as the major social institutions (O’Grady 2009).

Incomplete families are in urgent need of moral support as well and, therefore, there should be childcare professionals who would be specifically oriented on developing communication with the members of lone-parent families where communication skills are at an extremely low level. In addition, the practices implemented by other countries, such as France should also be regarded to advance the level of social welfare and strike the balance between children from full-fledged families and those from incomplete families.

In particular, the French government have introduced policies directed at reconciling family relations with women’s employment (BBC News n. d.). In particular, the governmental authorities have introduced funding for lone-parent families with more than three children for the purpose of encouraging working mother to have more children.

Apart from advancements and contribution to the family as a whole, the government should also pay closer attention to the welfare of children. In particular, it should be concerned more with regulating and developing individual rights of children to avoid the cases of maltreatment, neglect, and abuse (Kappella et al. 2010). Child’s developments needs, therefore, are vital because they will influence children’s future perception and awareness of creating a family. The concept of family should be more related to the traditional norms because it ensures social welfare of society.

Conclusion

Family is the core of the social structure and, therefore, this idea should be regarded in close relation with the community welfare. Historical and cultural contexts developed in families are also essential because they influence the changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, and attitude to family creations. Unfortunately, there is a growing tendency in shaping incomplete families, including non-child families, lone-parent families, and unmarried couples having children.

The individuals raised within context often have serious problems while building their professional career and performing social roles. In the course of human development, the attitude to family, particular to gender roles performed in family have been changing from functionalist division of labour, to feminine views on the role of women in family. As a result of such changes, serious interventions should be introduced to improve the situation in the United Kingdom. Specific attention should be given to childcare and individual psychological and social development.

Reference List

Andrews, MM, and Boyle, JS 2008, Transcultural Concepts in Nursing Care. Lippincott William & Wilkins, US.

BBC News n. d. France. Web.

Cowan, PA 1993, Family, Self, and Society: Toward a New Agenda for Family Research, Routledge, London.

Crawford, K & Walker, J 2010, Social Work and Human Development. Learning Matters, UK.

Department of Health 2000, Framework for the Assessment of Children and Their Families, The Stationery Office, London.

Garrett, E 2001, Changing Family Size in England and Wales: Place, Class, and Demography, 1981-1911. Cambridge University Press, UK.

Gregg, D 2010, Family Intervention Projects: a Classic Case of Policy-Based Evidence, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, England.

Irwin, S 2000, Patterns of Change in Family and Household Structure and Resourcing: An Overview. Workshop Two: Statistics and Theories for Understanding Social Change. pp. 1-14.

Kappella, O, Rille-Pfeiffer, C, Rupp, M, and Schneider, NF 2010, Family Diversity: Collection of the 3^rd European Congress of Family Science, Barbara Budrich, Germany.

O’Grady, S 2009, Lone Parent Policy Reform ‘Successful’, The Independent. Web.

Squire, C 2009, The Social Context of Birth, Radcliffe Publishing, Oxford.